Dispensing apparatus



Sept. 4, 1962 H. o. DANIEL 3,052,417

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1959 luvs/v TOR /7 /6/-/ a DAN/EL Fig.4.

atent @fitice 3,fi52,417 Patented Sept. 4, 1962 3,052,417 DISPENSTNG APPARATUS Hugh 6. Daniel, 3136 Birdsall Ave., Oakland, Calif. Filed Dec. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 856,471 2 Claims. (-Cl. 239-314) The present invention relates to spray devices in general and is particularly directed to a sprayer for producing a spray with a high concentration of liquid concentrate to water by the selective and independent discharge of liquid concentrate and a high velocity jet of water therefrom.

Heretofore many spray devices have been available for mixing a liquid concentrate with water under pressure as drawn from a main and discharging the mixture as a spray from the device. The liquid concentrate is generally gradually drawn from a reservoir by the suction produced by a high velocity stream of water flowing through a constriction in communication with a passage to the reservoir. The withdrawn concentrate intermingles with the stream of water and the resulting mixture is discharged as a spray. A substantial amount of water must flow to produce sufficient suction to withdraw concentrate from the reservoir. Consequently the concentration of the concentrate in the mixture discharged from the sprayer is limited.

In many instances it is desirable that a highly concentrated mixture be provided at the object being sprayed. For example, in the cleansing of windows, automobiles, and the like, which acquire films of dirt and grease that are extremely difficult to remove, a relatively highly concentrated detergent solution is necessary to produce a thorough cleansing action with a minimum of efllort. To this end there is provided by the present invention a spray device wherein the discharge of liquid detergent or other concentrate and water therefrom are selective and independent and any mixing thereof is accomplished subsequent to discharge.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a spray device for discharging liquid concentrate in dependently of the water spray in order that very highly concentrated solutions are received by an object being sprayed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a spray nozzle attachment for a water hose which facilitates mixing of a liquid concentrate with water sprayed from the nozzle subsequent to egress therefrom.

A specific object of my invention is the provision of a spray device of the class described for the rapid streakfree detergent cleansing of windows, automobiles, and the like without necessity of hand after-drying.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a spray device of the class described which is relatively simple and economical in its construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sprayer which is entirely sealed against leaks.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a spray device according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of this spray device.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 illustrating particularly the concentrate flow control valve and deformable concentrate container of the spray device, the dot and dash lines being illustrative of the container Walls as squeezed together to force concentrate therefrom.

lGURE 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 illustrating particularly the water flow control valve of the spray device.

Referring now to the drawing, a spray device in accordance with the present invention is seen to include an elongated body portion it} having a central cylindrical passage 11 extending longitudinally therethrough. The forward end of passage 11 is constricted as shown at 12 while the body is tapered thereat to define a nozzle 13.

The body it} is provided in its medial region with a depending, preferably rearwardly inclined tubular arm 14, the interior passage 16 of which communicates with passage 11. The lower end of arm 14 includes an enlarged tapped receptacle 17 for threadable engagement with a waterhose 18, a water tight connection therebetween being facilitated by the usual rubber washer 19. With the hose connected, water is hence supplied under pressure through passage 16 to passage 11 wherefrom it is discharged through nozzle 13.

In order that the fiow of water may be readily controlled, a valve 21 is provided in passage 16. The valve 21 (see FIGURE 4) is preferably provided as a hollow cylindrical cup portion 22 formed transversely of the arm 14 and defining a cylindrical valve seat 23 transversely intersecting passage 16. Within the seat 23 there is disposed in water sealed rotatable relation a cylindrical valve body 24 having a bore 26 transversely therethrough for selective registry with passage 16. The body 24 is best provided with a threaded end projection 27 for extension through an aperture 28 in the end of cup portion 22 and attachment of a nut 29 and washer 31 thereto to facilitate securance of the body within the seat. The water-tight seal between the valve body and seat to prevent the troublesome leaks usually encountered at the valves of conventional spray devices is preferably provided by O-rings 32, and 33 seated within circumferential grooves 34 and 36 in the opposite end regions of the valve body. To facilitate the ready rotation of valve body 24 to any desired degree of opening between fully open and fully closed positions, a wing knob 37 or equivalent means is secured to the body 24. y

In addition to the provision for discharge of water from the nozzle 13 of body 10, the body is further provided with means for the selective discharge of liquid detergent or other concentrate from the nozzle independently of the water. Discharge of the concentrate from the sprayer of the present invention hence does not depend upon a substantial fiow of water and mixing of the water and concentrate in the sprayer as has been the practice in previous spraying devices. Mixing of the concentrate and Water in any desired proportions is accomplished subsequent to their discharge from the instant spray device. Hence extremely concentrated solutions of liquid detergent or other concentrate may be advantageously directed upon windows, automobiles, and other objects to be cleansed by means of the spray device.

As regards more particularly the novel independent concentrate discharge means of the spray device, it is to be noted that the body 10 is provided at its rearward end with an upstanding cylindrical tapped receptacle 38 for receiving the threaded neck of an inverted conventional deformable plastic bottle 3? or equivalent deformable container. The base of the receptacle is centrally apertured as shown at 41 and arranged to communicate with a longitudinally extending tube 42 mounted concentrically within passage 11. The tube 42 is closely radially spaced from the Walls of constricted passage portion 12 and is coterminous with the nozzle end of the body 10. The tube 42 defines a central passage 43 for the independent discharge of concentrate 44 contained within deformable bottle 39 (see FIGURE 3) from nozzle 13. The water introduced to passage 11 is discharged from the nozzle 13 through the annulus 46 defined between the tube 42 and walls of constricted passage portion 12. It is particularly important to note that discharge of the con centrate 44 from the nozzle is selectively effected by squeezing or depressing the deformable bottle 39 as depicted by the dot and dash lines of FIGURE 3. The squeezing pressure applied manually to the bottle is transmitted to the concentrate 44 therein and constitutes the motivating force for the independent discharge of the concentrate from the nozzle. Anydesired amount of water may be simultaneously but independently discharged as a concentric annular spray from the annulus 46 of the nozzle by regulation of the Water flow with valve 21. The water spray tends to diffuse upon leaving the nozzle and intermingles with the central discharge of concentrate to thereby become mixed therewith prior to impingement upon an object being sprayed.

It has been found in practice that the concentrate 44 employed in the spray device is best of relatively high viscosity to limit the freedom with which it is discharged from the bottle 39. With the fiowability so restricted, the quantity of concentrate discharged by squeezing the bottle is more readily controllable. As regards the employment of the spray device in the specific cleansing application mentioned hereinbefore, it has been found that a highly viscous liquid detergent known commercially a Liquid Ivory and manufactured by Procter and Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, is particularly advantageous for use as the concentrate 44. A highly effective cleansing action of windows, automobiles, and the like is facilitated by the use of this detergent in the spray device of the present invention by virtue of the high concentration of detergent which may be selectively sprayed therefrom. Moreover, subsequent to cleansing, a spray of plain water may be selectively discharged from the spray device to rinse away the detergent and leave a clean, streak-free surface without necessity of hand drying.

As a further adjunct to the flow control of concentrate 44 from the deformable bottle 39, a valve 47 is preferably provided between the aperture 41 in the base of receptacle 38 and the central tube 42. Such valve 47 is generally similar to the water control valve 21 previously described. More specifically, the rearward end of passage 11 of body is preferably enlarged to define a cylindrical valve seat 48. The aperture 41 communicates radially with the valve seat 48 and a rotary valve body 51 is disposed therein in sealed rotatable engagement therewith. The body 51 is provided with an L-shaped passage 52 which extends radially inward from the periphery of the body to the axis thereof and then coaxially forward to the front face thereof. The rearward end of central tube 42 is inserted in tight fitting relationship within the axial portion of passage 52 and the radial portion thereof is disposed for selective registry with aperture 41 upon rotation of the valve body 51 as by means of a wing knob 53 secured to the rear face thereof. The valve body is retained in this position as by means of a retaining ring 54 secured within the rear end of valve seat 48 and a sealing ring 56 coaxially interposed between the front face of the valve body 51 and the front face of the valve seat. The sealing ring 56 serves the additional function of preventing Water in passage 11 from entering the concentrate portions of the sprayer. An additional sealing ring 57 is disposed within a circumferential groove 58 at the rear end of the valve body 51 to seal same against leaks of concentrate from the rear end of sprayer body 10. In addition, a sealing washer 59 is preferably disposed between the upper face of receptacle 38 and shoulder of deformable bottle 39 to prevent concentrate leaks from occurring between the bottle and receptacle. Thus, the concentrate system as Well as the independent water system of the spray device of the present invention are both entirely sealed against leaks.

There is thus provided by the present invention, a spray device in which the concentrate may be selectively discharged from nozzle 13 independently of the water discharged therefrom, merely by depressing the deformable bottle 39. Flow in both the water system and concentrate system, moreover, is independently controllable by means of valves 21 and 47 respectively whereby the relative proportions of water and concentrate mixed subsequent to discharge from the nozzle may be readily adjusted over a wide range from. entirely water to entirely concentrate.

What is claimed is:

1. A spray device comprising an elongated cylindrical body having an axial passage therethrough with a constriction at its forward end and an enlarged portion at its rearward end defining a cylindrical valve seat, said body having a depending arm with a central passage therethrough communicating with said axial passage and a tapped receptacle at its lower end for connection to a hose, said arm formed with a transverse cylindrical cup defining a second cylindrical valve seat in communication with the central passage, said body having an upstanding tapped receptacle with an aperture in its base communicating with said enlarged portion, a cylindrical valve body rotatably disposed within said first valve seat and having an L-shaped passage therethrough extending radially inward from a peripheral point rotatable into registry with said aperture and thence coaxially forward, a second cylindrical valve body rotatably disposed within said second valve seat and having a diametric passage therethrough rotatable into registry with the central passage of said arm, an elongated cylindrical tube concentrically disposed within the axial passage of said body in close spaced relation to the forward constriction thereof and coterminous therewith, said tube communicably connected at its rearward end to the coaxial portion of the passage of said first valve body, and a deformable plastic bottle containing a liquid concentrate threadably secured to said upstanding receptacle and operable upon manual pressure applied thereto to forcibly urge concentrate through said L-shaped passage when said first valve body is in its open position.

2. A spray device according to claim 1, further defined by a pair of sealing rings concentrically secured about the opposite ends of said second valve body, a sealing ring concentrically disposed about the rearward end of said first valve body, a sealing ring coaxially interposed between the forward end of said first valve body and the forward end of said first valve seat, a sealing washer coaxially interposed between the upper surface of said upstanding receptacle and said bottle, and a sealing washer disposed within the receptacle of said arm for sealing engagement with said hose.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

